Medea (1988)

Medea is in Corinth with Jason and their two young sons. King Kreon wants to reward Jason for his exploits: he gives the hand of his daughter, Glauce, to Jason as well as the promise of the... See full summary »

Director:

Lars von Trier

Writers:

Carl Theodor Dreyer, Euripides (play),

Stars:

Udo Kier, Kirsten Olesen, Henning Jensen

Cast

Cast overview:
Udo Kier	...	Jason
Kirsten Olesen	...	Medea
Henning Jensen	...	Kreon
Solbjørg Højfeldt	...	Ammen
Preben Lerdorff Rye	...	Paedragon
Baard Owe	...	Aiceus
Ludmilla Glinska	...	Glauce
Vera Gebuhr	...	Aeldre Terne
Jonny Kilde	...	Store Dreng
Richard Kilde	...	Lille Dreng
Dick Kaysø	...	Jasons Stemme
Mette Munk Plum	...	Glauces Stemme

Storyline

Medea is in Corinth with Jason and their two young sons. King Kreon wants to reward Jason for his exploits: he gives the hand of his daughter, Glauce, to Jason as well as the promise of the throne. In exchange, Medea and the boys are to be banished. Jason explains that his actions ensure a rich future for Medea and her sons. She asks that she be allowed to stay; Kreon refuses. She asks for one more day, and begs Jason to seek the king's permission to allow their sons to stay in Corinth. Jason agrees and Medea prepares a gift for her sons to give to Glauce. Will Medea leave peacefully?

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Plot Keywords:

medea | gift | sea | aerial shot | premonition | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Denmark

Language:

Danish

Release Date:

1 April 1988 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Mideia

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,415 (USA) (25 April 2003)

Gross:

$16,087 (USA) (5 September 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Danmarks Radio (DR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

77 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of Such Is Life (2000)

User Reviews

Trier's Best Work

It is a masterpiece, it is a perfect adaptation of the Greek tragedy Medea from Euripides, a version where the Gods willing and intervations are absent. Medea is the tragic character that after helping Jason in the Voyage of the Argonauts (myth says that she has even sacrificed her own brother for Jason's success), she gets from him only betrayal, as he arranges to marry the King's of Corinth daughter. The king decides to exile Medea, as she is a danger for his daughter happiness, but Medea asks from him just a day… before she goes outside the borders. That day Medea gets her revenge….. That day we see how Jason is demystified, driven by his lust for a young princess becomes a tragic character. Jason is a man driven by women's strength and willing, he reached the levels of heroism because of a woman, he seeks to get more strength with the help of another woman, who guides him with her sexual power. We see the tragic abandoned woman, taking revenge sacrificing her own children in the name of proving that she still has the power to drive his husband emotions. Is it that also true in our societies? How many times children are the mean for adults' revenge?

Medea's story shown through an epic atmosphere. It is a film perfectly directed. Trier used so nicely light and nature in order to transfer to us the whole atmosphere of tragedy. A tragedy that is created by humans and not Gods…. A story that can be met in our civilized neighbourhood, a story that has for sure heard in the news. As about the actors… a fabulous cast makes this film a work of art. I am glad that I 've found it in the store, I am glad I watched it.